Tag dispenser



Oct- 13, 1959 A. E. FLEENER TAG DISPENSER Filed sept. so. 1954 Z Rr e M Nn S Ee Y* v w m r4 9 n M m L L n m M mm f i /5 uh YJ B w ha )gwn 6 7 k0 47 7 6 6 6 I w |a .wu f, la@ f E |1 n T3147 I ll JIIHHHHUI. Q f 9 n ,LJ/

Fig. 2

dion;

"apparatus fiFigure'lt; Y

Uaides .Pafenfo i :zgsosass TGCDISPENSER Thepresent invention 'relates toI a container for Agang tags and-tolan-apparatuszifor successively dispensing such tags'frornth'e container. p 'l The Apresent inventionis adapted-:for use with tags of the ftypewherein a plurality `of such "tags AV'are manufactured in acontinuousstrip witlrthe successive tags being `joiued 'edgeto edge. ,"In` general, the 'apparatus consists of a 'novel containe'rrneans Vadapted to store ka Vplurality of Asuch tags in 1an orderly mannenand'novel dispensing rneansremoveably attachable to` said container'-meansand `adapted 1to 'receive continuously `the 'strip of tags. 'Such dispensing means includes meansfor'successively"detaching-tags from1such strip.

`It is therefore an object of "the" present inventionto *provide apparatus :of the `typel described wherein a `container'rneans'is adaptedto store and continuous1y=release a strip of tags joined edge to edge and whereinsuch containerfmeanslisprovidedwith vaznovel tag removing appayratus disposed along thepathof tag'release yItisanotl^1eriobjectV 'o'fj the present` invention to-prov`ide apparatus-of the Ytype described'whereinav container Jmeans is adapted to store andrelease a-strip offtagsfjoined-edge to edge, -and wherein a novel Jtagdispensing 'means yis vrernoveably attached Vto said container b'ynovelmounting means whereby said tag dispensingfmeans can be Areadily attached-and1detachedflrelativeltosaid container.

It-is another objectof the present 'invention lto Lprovide apparatus of 'the 1type` described `wherein a "fconta'iner -is adaptedto store `and release a'strip oftagsjoine'dfedge lto edge, Vand wherein -a-nove`1 tag dispensing 'means-is attached 1to-said container,- saiddispensing means being adapted for rapid and #convenient removalY of a -ta'g from :the supply Vsince such "operation requires l theuse of -only .one :hand 4of* a yperson engaged `in such activity. e

`It 4is another-ioljjectof the present invention to provide apparatus ofthetype described wherein la novelcontainer is adaptedtostoreandrelease astripof -tags joined edge to edge, which--fcontai'ner'islprovided with smeans for-retaining -saidftags in Asaid containerrin f :1n-.orderly .stac-ked relationship. Y

Gther objects and advantages of thefpresent invention will be apparent =fror`rr the V-followingdescription, reference being-had-l -to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred forrnof enrbodimentof the-invention is :clearly shown. l i

In thedrawings: l

Figure- -l `is `a 'front-elevational Viewl of anhapparatus constructed according tolthepresent invention;

lFigure 2 `is =a` top elevational view ofthe `.apparatus :of

Figure 1; t

Figure i3 lis -a sideelevationaliview tof theapparatus of `the precedingftiigfures;

y 2,908,435 Eiff-intenter! Oct. '13,7 A1.959

top end ofla tag retaining rod comprising/aportion di 'the present invention, said rodbeing disposed Yin a 'tagrevtaining configuration.` v g )Referring next tothe drawings, "and .in particular to AFigure l thereof,`an apparatus :constructed accordirigto the v present linvention fis illustrated with such apparatus lincluding a container indicated ,generally .at 220; `;'1"l1e ,container 20 includes side' walls' 21, 22,'.`23""and"24. "C'ontainer '20 vis als'o` providedvvith a bottom `wail Z6"^and a .closur'e'27including`aitongueiportionli Y 1 As` `is 'best seen in'Figure 3, 'container 2,0 "is adapted to store,'in an'orde'rly'rnariner, a vertically clisposedlstak of rgang tags .indicated 'g'enerally at 31. 'Such gangftags 'are fformed in a strip .and securedftogethrattedges 32 and `.33 which arealternatelyV disposed when tliejtags' are in ,the stacked 'configuration""illustrated.' '.As `-is best seen 'in Figure 3, 'th'eltags are retained 'in compact compressed relationship whereby.a`large lnumber of tags are lcarried in a'relative'ly small container..` s Y Each ofx'the tags, Vsuch'as`tl1e`tag 35 ofJFigure `2,is formedv with an 'eyelet'36 which arr'iesj'a ti'e"wire`37. fA .rod member 40 'is extended throughth'e eyelets of 'all o'f the .tags'j'whichform a strip, when thlebtags 'are ydisposed in 'the 'configuration of stack "3`1 f illustrated linitiigure' "13. The lower end of 5the'rodfittlisformed Withjaloop 41 which. serves "to retain the'tagsmfrorn slipping 'off' the rod 40 during'ha'ndling. "It will'beunderstoodfthat'fthe rod 40 provides' means "formaintainingastrip of 'tag'sfinorderlyv stacked'rela'tionshipanrl 'provides l*I'rvlealrs for 'conveniently'handling same. Atthis point itshould bel mentioned that a 'strip of tags j can beffldediinto' L"the stacked configuration illustrated in Figure-'3 bysuitable folding apparatus forming a part of the machine for fbricatng iandfwiring .such tags." "fWhen'tlre' tagsare arranged in stackedconfrgurationduring the manufactnrelthereoffrod '40. can be" readily inserted through ltherstackcf tags Jto provide means whereby" 'the stack ucan Abe vjqiiiclcly -f-revmoved i from the folding apparatus.y The LStal; of ltag's, including aro'drnernber 40,"can then lbereadily"packaged bypla'cing same inra-containersuch*as"is'i1lustrated at 20"in the drawings.

It`will benoted that container 120"'i's -o't sufien'ttwidth "to carry two'stacks df tags such ase't'he stacklrl illustrated. For packagingV andsliipping', the'stacks fare each `provided with a`ro'd member 40 disposed VJthrough vtitte eyelets with the loopedsend 41 at the top of the stack.

The other Yend of the'rod meniber islbent 'transversely vfFigurei-isa `front Selevational View .of a tag-dispensing apparatus '-constructed according :to "the ipresent ifinvlen- Figurensidev elevational' v"evt/oftl'ievtagdispensing V-Figu1:etlisanotherifront#elevational View Ycorrespondto Vthe axis'o'fftherod inember to retain the compressed tags on such rnernben v`For "dispensing ylpurposes, Athe two stacks areremoved'andone of'th'e stacksis-replaced with 'the loop `41 ofiits rodrrreniber""4'0 vatith'ev bottomzf thestacle y 'With reference to Figures "1 andifa holeiZ isi-formed through 'the bottoni 26 Yof the'containersuch; that theK rod 'member 40 canfbe"removedfrom'"therstack cfftagsfafvter the 1 stack Yhas been disposed *in ia dispensing pos'ition in 'the`co`ntainer Yas fillustratedinFigures't1-and f3, ancl after the upper end of the rod lniem'ber "40 is straightened to the'contiguration illustrated. I

`Referring-neiitit'o Figures L4, '5 an`d"6,V ffclilspe4 apparatus, constructed accordi-ng" to the present invf is indicated `generally Aat v apparatus ed 4of `sheet .metal or` ,th'e ylike and includes .averticall posed rwal-Linear 1s5-1. ,Y Thefapparatusfurtherincludes ntegrall-y ,formedl mange .fnlafllw,rs@5,2%11@15in ely-bin :are

adapted 'to engage the container wall 21 in the manner illustrated in Figure" 5, and a ange 56 which forms a' The dispensing apparatus "5.0 further includes sidewall 64v which adjoins a front wall 65. Front wall 65 is provided with a guide portion 66, and a 'lower edge 67 of such guide portions provides a severing edge for removing tags 'om 4the strip. In eiecting removal of a tag, vsuch tag is drawn outwardly, in the manner illustrated in' Figure 6, whereby the folded edge 68, between successive tags, -is -cut by the severing edge 67. Itwill be noted tha t` the dispensing apparatus 50 is also provided with an outwardly extending tab 70 which engages the end of a tag prevents lateral movement of the tag during the severing'4 action illustrated in Figurev 6.

Referring -to Figure 4, 'it is seen that `the left edge 72 'of thefront wall!65,s spacedv from'the outwardly extending tab 70 and from the outwardly extending tab 73 to provide clearance for` tie wiresl 74 when a strip of tags is advanced through the dispensing apparatus. It will be fur-ther vnoted that a notch 75 is4 formed intermediate tovtabs 70 and 73, `'and a notch 76 is formed at the lower end of the tab 70. The downward sloping of the tab 73, at the notch 75, provides clearance for the tie wire 74 as Athe tag, to which such wire is attached, is drawn between the confined slot'formed by the walls 51 and 67. At the same time, the tabs 70 and 73 engage an edge of the tab strip and serve to guide same. Moreover, the edges of vthe :tabs 70 and 73, when the strip of tags is advanced, are

slideably engaged by the tie wires 74. The tabs 70 and 73 engage'wireA 74 at the tag edge, and, dueto the shape of tabs 70 and 73, as illustrated in Figure 5, the tag edge is ca mrned outwardly producing a bending of the resilient tag 'material as it is advanced past the tabs. In this manner, the inherent resiliency of the tags is utilized to provide resistance to undesired shifting of the strip of tags from the desired dispensing position when an end tag is being removed. .Moreover, it serves to prevent shaking of the strip out of position if the apparatus is mounted on acart or thelike.

' With reference to Figures 4 and 5, it will be seen that Aedgesfst) and 81 form a cut out portion in the'front wall of the dispensing apparatus whereby a tag, such as the tag 82, canbe grasped and advanced downwardly into theposition Aillustrated in Figure 6. At this position, the tag can be removed. When thetag 82 is drawn downwardly from the position of Figure 4, to the position of Figure 6, the wire 74 will be engaged by the notch 76 andV theulower `edgeof the ytag will be arrested by an outwardly extending tab 85.* With this arrangement, the end tag 82 will be properly positioned for severing whereby the fold line 68 is aligned With the severing edge 67. v

In operation, the container 20 is utilized for packaging a plurality of stacks of tags. For example, 'two stacks such as the stack 31 are packed in a single container. Bach of the two stacks is packed with a rod member 40, with the looped end thereof disposed upwardly against the inner side of the closure 27. Ihe customer need only open the closure member 27, hold the container 20 up side down, and shake out both stacks of tags.l One stack 20, ,the manner illustrated, with the loop 41 of the rod member 40 extended downwardly through the hole 42.

The other end of the rod member 40, which is bent over against' the end of the stack, now, be at the top of the stack and `accessible through the opening in thev container. After astack of 'tags has been positioned in the yoftags is then replaced in the rightside of the container hanging over the edge of the front wall 21 of the container. The end of'the'strip of tags is' then threaded between the walls 51 and 6 5 of the dispensing apparatus 50 and the end tags are pulled downwardly to a position for removal illustrated in Figure 6. The appartus will then be ready to successively dispense tags, and to accomplish this, the customer-need only tear the end tag from the strip along the, severing edge 67. When another tag is needed, it is only necessary to advance the next tag downwardlyr-in vthe :manner previously described, and ref peat the tearing operation.' Only one hand isV required in performing thev advancing and severing operations.

llt will be noted, from Figure .1, ,that the closurez 2 7 may be provided with a plurality of holes 88 having restricted upper portions v89;l With this arrangement, the container 20 can readily be mounted to a wall, or other similar surface, at a location handy to the person using the tags.

lln summary, it is seen that the present invention provides novel packaging and ydispensing means for wired tags which are manufactured in strip form and folded and packaged in a stack. The dispensing apparatus is of simple and inexpensive v'construction which can be rebe understood that other forms might be adopted, all

`coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

`,I claim: c v 1. An apparatus for dispensing gangtags comprising, in combination, a container means including a vertically extending wall and adapted to carry 1a. strip of said tags joined edge to edge, with wires f orsaid tags being secured to eyelets in said tagsrand extended from a common edge of said strip, said containerV havingv yan opening formed therein; tag `dispensingmeans removeably attached to said container means adjacent said opening Yforming a vertically extending guideway along said wall through which the endof said strip of tags from said opening is extended downwardly in. unfolded conguration, said guideway including a slotcoextensive with thepath lof said strip .through said guideway for receiving said wires extended from the edge of said strip; and tag removing means for successively removing end tagsvfrom said strip.

, 2. An apparatus for dispensing gang tags comprising, in combination, a container means including al vertically extending wall and adapted to carry astrip of said tags joinededge to edge and alternately folded at the junctions to form a stack oftags one above the other, said container having a tag discharging opening and a second opening formed therein; tagrdispensing means removeably attached to said container means adjacent said tag discharge opening forming a vertically extending guideway along said wall through which the end of said strip of tags from said opening is extended downwardly in unfolded conliguration; and a severing edge-at the lower exit edge of said guideway against which the junctions between tags can be severed upon movement of the end Aof said strip outwardly; and mounting means for securing said dispenser meansto said container means, said mountling means including tongue means insertably retained in said second mentioned opening. 3. An apparatus for dispensing gang tags comprising, 1n combination, a container means including a wall and "adapted to carry a strip of said tagsjoined edge to edge,

along said wall through which the end of said stnip of tags from said opening is extended downwardly in unfolded coniiguration to moveably receive said strip of tags; severing means at an exit end of said guide against which a tag can be severed by moving the end of said strip outwardly from said wall; and mounting means for securing said dispenser means to said container means, said mounting means including a ilange portion engageable with a side wall of said container at said rst mentioned opening and a tongue portion insertably retained in said second mentioned opening, at least one of said portions being formed integrally with one of said spaced coextensive wall members as a anged portion thereof.

4. An apparatus for dispensing gang tags comprising, in combination, tag storage means for receiving a strip of tags joined edge to edge Iin stacked relationship, said storage means including a wall; retaining means removably insertable into said storage means with said stack, said retaining means including a iirst end in engagement with one end of said stack and a second end in releasable engagement with a second end of said stack to retain said stack in compressed configuration during handling and packaging in storage means, said second end of said retaining means being releaseable from engagement with said second end of said stack after said stack and retaining means have been placed in said storage means, whereby sa-id tags can be successively dispensed from said storage means; means forming a guideway coextensive with said wall through which said st rip can be drawn in unfolded configuration after extension of said strip from said container; and severing means at the exit of said guideway against which said tags can be severed from said gang upon movement of said strip outwardly relative to said wall.

5. An apparatus for dispensing gang tags comprising, in combination, tag storage means for receiving a strip of tags joined edge to edge in stacked relationship, each of said tags being formed with an eyelet, said eyelets being aligned when said tags are in said stacked relationship; a guide member extended through said eyelets and removably insentable into said storage means with said stack; stop means on one end of said guide member; and stop means on the other end of said guide member, said stop means serving to retain said tags on said guide member, and at least one of said stop means being formed by an end of said guide member being bent to extend transversely of the longitudinal axis of the portion of said guide member extended through said eyelets.

6. An apparatus for dispensing gang tags comprising, in combination, tag storage means for receiving a strip of tags joined edge to edge in stacked relationship, said tag storage means including a wall, each of said tags being formed with an eyelet, said eyelets being aligned when said tags are in said stacked relationship; a guide member extended through said eyelets and removably insertable into said storage means with said stack; stop means on one end of said guide member; stop means on the other end of said guide member, said stop means serving to retain said tags on said guide member, and at least one of said stop means being formed by an end of said guide member being bent to extend transversely of the longitudinal axis of the portion of said guide member extended through said eyelets; means forming a guideway coextensive wi-th said wall through which said strip can be drawn in unfolded comguration after extension of said strip from said container; and severing means at the exit of said guideway against which said tags can be severed from said gang upon movement of said strip outwardly relative to said wall.

7. An apparatus for dispensing gang tags comprising, in combination, tag storage means for receiving a strip of tags joined edge to edge in stacked relationship, each of said tags being formed with an eyelet, said eyelets being aligned when said tags are in said stacked relationship; said tag storage means comprising a container including side walls and an end wall having an opening formed therethrough; a guide member extended through said eyelets and removably insertable into said storage means with said stack; stop means on one end of said guide member, the other end of said guide member being bent over to retain said tags on said guide member; said guide member being aligned with said opening in the end wall when a stack of tags is positioned in said container whereby said guide member and said stop means can be withdrawn from said container through said opening upon straightening of said bent end of said guide member.

8. An apparatus for dispensing gang tags comprising, in combination, tag storage means for receiving a strip of tags joined edge to edge in stacked relationship, each of said tags being formed with an eyelet, said eyelets being aligned when said tags are in said stacked relationship, sa-id tagstorage means comprising a container including a rst end wall having a tag discharge opening and a second end wall having a second opening; a guide member extended through said tag eyelets and axially aligned with said second opening and removably insertable into said storage means with said stack; a rst stop means on said guide member at the end thereof adjacent said tag discharge opening, said first stop means being adapted for selective retention or release of the end of said stack of tags whereby said stack is retained on said guide member for packaging and releasable for dispensing tags through said tag discharge opening and a second stop means on said guide member, said second stop means and guide member being removable through said second opening.

9. An apparatus for dispensing gang tags comprising, in combination, tag storage means for receiving a strip of tags joined edge to edge in stacked relationship, each of said tags being formed with an eyelet, said eyelets being aligned when said tags are in said stacked relationship, said tag storage means comprising a container including a side wall, and a firstl end wall having a tag discharge opening and a second end wall having a second opening; a guide member extended through said tag eyelets and removably insertable into said storage means with said stack; stop means on said guide member at the end thereof adjacent said tag discharge opening, said stop means being adapted for selective retention or release of the end of said stack of tags whereby said stack is retained on said guide member for packaging and releasable for dispensing tags through said tag discharge opening; a second stop means on said guide member, said second stop means and `guide member being removeable through said second opening; mea-ns forming a guide way coextensive with said side wall through which said strip can be drawn in unfolded coniiguration after extension of said strip from said container; and severing means at the exit of said guideway against which said tags can be severed from said gang upon movement of said strip outwardly relative to said wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 705,762 Jacobs July 29, 1902 767,233 McCourt et al. Aug. 9, 1904 930,667 Hess Aug. 10, 1909 1,520,443 Rigot Dec. 23, 1924 1,896,343 Bennett Feb. 7, 1933 2,587,928 Tuck Mar. 4, 1952,

FOREIGN PATENTS 458,544 France Aug. 9, 1913 459,522 France Sept. 8, 1913 

